#WrestleXian

Less-Than-Tip-Top Tasmuradov Leads Trio of Uzbekis into Asian Greco Finals; 2 Each from Iran, India

Saturday, April 27, 2019 - 09:08 By Ken Marantz

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XI’AN, China (April 27)--World silver medalist Elmurat TASMURADOV (UZB) overcame a stomach bug to lead a trio of Uzbekis into the finals as the Greco-Roman competition kicked off on the fifth day of the Asian Championships in Xi’an.

Tasmuradov, the defending champion at 63kg, showed little sign of his tender tummy as he executed his trademark flashy throws,  chalking up a pair of technical fall victories to advance to the final against Erbalu TUO (CHN).

“Today I am not in form,” said Tasmuradov, a Rio 2016 Olympic bronze medalist aiming for his fifth career Asian gold. “I have a stomach ache.”

Tuo, urged on by the home crowd at Xidian University’s Invengo Gymnasium, scored an early 4-point throw from a front headlock and defeated Saman ABDOUVALI (IRI), 6-4, in the semifinals.

That was just one of several setbacks for Iran, which placed just two wrestlers—the same as India--in the five finals to be held in the night session. Most notably missing will be Mohammadali GERAEI (IRI), last year’s silver medalist at 77kg.

KIM Hyeonwoo (KOR) blanked 2017 world bronze medalist Mohammadali GERAEI (IRI), 8-0 to reach the 77kg finals. (Photo: Sachiko Hotaka)

Geraei, the Asian Games champion last summer in Jakarta and 2017 world bronze medalist, was ungraciously ousted in the semifinals by KIM Hyeonwoo (KOR), whose long list of honors includes bronze medals at last year’s world championships in Budapest and at Rio 2016, and an Olympic gold at London 2012.

Kim, who finished third in Jakarta, scored a 4-point takedown early in the match and led 6-0 after the first period. In the second period, a frustrated Geraei was hit with a 2-point penalty for a head butt, ending the match in a technical fall at 5:27.

“I made one big mistake,” Geraei said of the big-point move. “My hand wasn’t in a good position, and I could not compensate for that.”

Singh GURPREET is one of two Indian wrestlers who'll be wrestling for gold in tonight's finals. The second Indian joining Gurpreet in the finals is 87kg finalist Kumar SUNIL. (Photo: Sachiko Hotaka) 

Kim, who won three straight Asian titles from 2013-15, will aim for a fifth overall when he faces Singh GURPREET (IND) in the final.

Gurpreet and compatriot Kumar SUNIL (IND) at 87kg became perfect examples of the benefits of hard training. They both were losing by wide margins in their semifinals to Kazakhstan wrestlers, but pulled out victories by fall as their opponents became winded.

Gurpreet’s fall at 2:31 came at the expense of Tamerlan Shadukayev (KAZ), who was third at the Dan Kolov-Nikola Petrov tournament. Sunil turned the trick in 2:41 against Azamat KUSTUBAYEV (KAZ), the Asian Games bronze medalist.

Sunil earned a shot at dethroning reigning champion Hossein NOURI (IRI), who notched a 3-1 win in the other semifinal over Ruslam ASSAKALOV (UZB), the 2018 champion at 97kg. 

“I had good training and I am confident,” Sunil said.

In the quarterfinals, Nouri reprised his victory in last year’s Asian final in Bishkek by beating Masumi SUMI (JPN), 4-2.

Muminjon ABDULLAEV (UZB) edged Damir KUZEMBAYEV (KAZ), 3-3 to reach the 130kg finals where he'll take on Iran's Amir GHASEMIMONJEZI. (Photo: Sachiko Hotaka)

Muminjon ABDULLAEV (UZB), who lost in last year’s 130kg final to an Iranian opponent, will get a chance for a measure of revenge when he faces Amir GHASEMIMONJEZI (IRI) for the gold.

Abdullaev survived an intense semifinal battle with Damir KUZEMBAYEV (KAZ), holding on for a 3-3 victory. Ghasemimonjezi had less trouble routing KIM Minseok (KOR) by 8-0 technical fall in just 1:05. His tougher test came a round earlier, when he edged 2018 bronze medalist Murat RAMANOV (KGZ), 2-1.

lkhom BAKHROMOV (UZB) topped Asan SULAIMANOV (KGZ) by 11-3 technical fall in the semifinals, setting up a meeting with Japan's Hiromu KATAGIRI. (Photo: Gabor Martin)

The 55kg final will pit Ilkhom BAKHROMOV (UZB) against Hiromu KATAGIRI (JPN). Bakhramov topped Asan SULAIMANOV (KGZ) by 11-3 technical fall, while Katagiri scored a 9-3 win over 2018 bronze medalist Khorlan ZHAKANSHA (KAZ). 

Katagiri, a third-year collegian making his senior debut, is looking to follow in the footsteps of 2018 gold medalist Shota TANOKURA (JPN), his predecessor as national champion.

“My preparations went well, I feel I am at my best,” Katagiri said. 

“The Japan champion before me, Tanokura, showed that Japan was strong and I’m going to fight hard to keep the connection going.”

Day 5 results

Greco-Roman

55kg (10 entries)
Gold – Ilkhom BAKHROMOV (UZB) v Hiromu KATAGIRI (JPN)
Bronze – Reza KHEDRI (IRI) v Asan SULAIMANOV (KGZ)
Bronze – JEON Hyeokjin (KOR) v Khorlan ZHAKANSHA (KAZ)

Semifinals
Ilkhom BAKHROMOV (UZB) df. Asan SULAIMANOV (KGZ) by TF, 11-3, 4:44
Hiromu KATAGIRI (JPN) df. Khorlan ZHAKANSHA (KAZ), 9-3 

63kg (9 entries)
Gold – Elmurat TASMURADOV (UZB) v Erbalu TUO (CHN)
Bronze – Urmalbek AMATOV (KGZ) v JUNG Jinwoong (KOR)
Bronze – Kudaibergen TURSYNOV (KAZ) v Saman ABDOUVALI (IRI)

Semifinals
Erbalu TUO (CHN) df. Saman ABDOUVALI (IRI), 6-4
Elmurat TASMURADOV (UZB) df. JUNG Jinwoong (KOR) by TF, 12-2, 3:33

77kg (11 entries)
Gold – Singh GURPREET (IND) v KIM Hyeonwoo (KOR)
Bronze – Bakhit BADR (QAT) v Tamerlan Shadukayev (KAZ)
Bronze – Naotsugu SHOJI (JPN) v Mohammadali GERAEI (IRI)

Semifinals
KIM Hyeonwoo (KOR) df. Mohammadali GERAEI (IRI) by TF, 8-0, 5:27
Singh GURPREET (IND) df. Tamerlan Shadukayev (KAZ) by Fall, 2:31 (6-5)

87kg (10 entries)
Gold – Kumar SUNIL (IND) v Hossein NOURI (IRI)
Bronze – Tokhirdzhon OKHONOV (TJK) v Azamat KUSTUBAYEV (KAZ)
Bronze – Masato SUMI (JPN) v Ruslam ASSAKALOV (UZB)

Semifinals
Hossein NOURI (IRI) df. Ruslam ASSAKALOV (UZB), 3-1
Kumar SUNIL (IND) df. Azamat KUSTUBAYEV (KAZ) by Fall, 2:41 (6-6)

130kg (8 entries)
Gold – Muminjon ABDULLAEV (UZB) v Amir GHASEMIMONJEZI (IRI)
Bronze – Prem PREM (IND) v Damir KUZEMBAYEV (KAZ)
Bronze – Murat RAMONOV (KGZ) v KIM Minseok (KOR)

Semifinals
Amir GHASEMIMONJEZI (IRI) df. KIM Minseok (KOR) by TF, 8-0, 1:05
Muminjon ABDULLAEV (UZB) df. Damir KUZEMBAYEV (KAZ), 3-3

#wrestlebishkek

Asian Championships 2026 Day 1 Greco-Roman Highlights

Sunday, April 5, 2026 - 19:41 By Ken Marantz & Vinay Siwach

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BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan (April 6) -- For the first time, the Asian Championships will be held in two-day format. The edition in Bishkek will begin with Greco-Roman, followed by Women's Wrestling and then Freestyle. Five Greco-Roman weight classes -- 55kg, 63kg, 77kg, 87kg and 130kg -- are in action on Monday.

WATCH LIVE | LIVE MATCH ORDER | ASIAN CHAMPIONSHIPS PREVIEW

The semifinals will begin at 18:00 local time

55kg
SF 1: Huoying SHI (CHN) vs. LALIT (IND)
SF 2: Ikhtiyor BOTIROV (UZB) vs. Ulan MURATBEK UULU (KGZ)

63kg
SF 1: Azatjan ACHILOV (TKM) vs. Aftandil TAALAIBEK UULU (KGZ)
SF 2: Erfan JARKANI (IRI) vs. Islomjon BAKHRAMOV (UZB)

77kg
SF 1: Ali OSKOU (IRI) vs. AMAN (IND)
SF 2: Doniyorkhon NAKIBOV (UZB) vs. Akzhol MAKHMUDOV (KGZ)

87kg
SF 1: Asan ZHANYSHOV (KGZ) vs. Nursultan TURSYNOV (KAZ)
SF 2: Sunil KUMAR (IND) vs. Gholamreza FAROKHI (IRI)

130kg
SF 1: Amin MIRZAZADEH (IRI) vs. Minseok KIM (KOR)
SF 2: Yuta NARA (JPN) vs. Rafael TSITSUASHVILI (UZB)

13:10: World champion Amin MIRZAZADEH (IRI) begins his Asian title defense with a 10-0 win over Roman KIM (KGZ) and advance to the semifinals. He will face Minseok KIM (KOR)

13:03: Returning bronze medalist Yuta NARA (JPN) gets the winning score with a slow-motion gut wrench in the second period, prevailing on last-point criteria 3-3 over two-time Asian U23 silver medalist Jokhar UZAROV (KAZ) to advance to the 130kg semifinals.

12:58: Gholamreza FAROKHI (IRI) gets a gut wrench to the back upgraded to a 4-point move upon his opponent's challenge, giving him a 10-0 victory over two-time bronze medalist Mukhammadkodir RASULOV (UZB) and moving him a step closer to a second straight gold, this time up at 87kg after winning at 82kg last year.

12:57: World bronze medalist Asan ZHANYSHOV (KGZ) with some big throws and a fall against Dovletmyrat BAYRAMOV (TKM) at 87kg in just 30 seconds. Zhanyshov vs Gholamreza FAROKHI (IRI) final will be a treat.

12:50: Sunil KUMAR (IND), the last Indian to win a Greco gold when he did on home soil in New Dehli in 2020, reeled off two gut wrenches from par terre in the second period for a 5-1 victory over Shichang ZHENG (CHN) and a place in the 87kg semifinals. Kumar is also going for his fourth career Asian medal.

12:42: Kaisei TANABE (JPN), last year's champion at freestyle 65kg looking to make history with a victory at Greco 63kg, minimized the points scored by Aftandil TAALAIBEK UULU (KGZ), but failed to get enough of his own and came out on the short end of a 4-3 score. Taalaibek Uulu had the first chance in par terre, but even though he lifted Tanabe off his feet, he could only get a 1-point throw out of it. Taalaibek Uulu then got in on a bear hug and lifted Tanabe again, but only got a takedown out of that situation to lead 4-0 at the break. Tanabe got a chance at par terre and hit a gut wrench to cut the gap to 1, but could not pull out the win.

12:32: Ikhtiyor BOTIROV (UZB), aiming to improve on his two bronze medals from 2023 and 2025, rips off four straight rolls from par terre and he's into the 55kg semifinals with a 10-0 win over Hajiali HOSSEINVAND (IRI). The Iranian side pushed the challenge button before the first roll, looking for a leg foul, but the scoring was upheld.

12:25: Doniyorkhon NAKIBOV (UZB), a bronze medalist in 2024, makes short work of Amro SADEH (JOR), storming to a quick 9-0 win to earn a semifinal date with Makhmudov.

12:23: There cannot be a better way to find a way to win a Greco-Roman bout that a five-point throw! AMAN (IND) does exactly that in his quarterfinal against Halishan BAHEJIANG (CHN) at 77kg. Aman was down 4-1 but got on a duckunder and locked Bahejiang and completes a perfect throw for five points and wins 6-4

12:20: Ali OSKOU (IRI), Zagreb Open Ranking Series champion at 77kg, defends from par terre twice, against Yeonghun NOH (KOR) and he does that well, once with 25 seconds remaining to win 5-2 and advance to the semifinals.

12:18: Akzhol MAKHMUDOV (KGZ) with another spectacular throw as he defeats Kaharman KISSYMETOV (KAZ) 9-1 to gain a place in the semifinals. Makhmudov is put on the bottom of par terre, but wiggles his way out and gets behind for a takedown. Then the fun starts, as he hits a high-flying 4-point throw to lead 6-1. In the second period, Makhmudov gets the top position, and he quickly executes a gut wrench that ends the proceedings.

12:10: Roman KIM (KGZ) gets the home crowd going, getting four straight rolls from par terre to knock off Nambardagva BATBAYAR (MGL) 9-0 at 130kg. Batbayar is one of a few wrestlers who will be doing the Greco-Freestyle double in Bishkek — he's the Asian U23 champion in freestyle!

12:08: Gholamreza FAROKHI (IRI), the reigning world champion at 82kg, has moved up to the Olympic weight of 87kg and gets off to a good start, overwhelming Muhammad SULTONZODA (TJK) 9-0 in less than two minutes.

12:05: Hyunwoong CHOI (KOR) survives a battle against Huangsheng WU (CHN) at 63kg. He was leading 11-6 when Wu scored a huge four-pointer with 11 seconds remaining to make it 11-10. But the last desperate attempt ended with Choi getting two points and a 13-10 win

12:02: Islomjon BAKHRAMOV (UZB), an Asian champion in 2019 and world bronze medalist in 2023, is looking to regain the magic up a weight at 63kg. He cruises through his opening match, handily defeating  Rayan HAWSAWI (KSA) 8-0.

11:51: Hajiali HOSSEINVAND (IRI), winner at the Zagreb Ranking Series tournament, advances at 55kg with a 4-0 victory over Nurzat KABDYRAKHIMOV (KAZ). Hosseinvand chalks up three points in the first period, then adds a stepout in the second.

11:41: Local star Akzhol MAKHMUDOV (KGZ) gets the tournament off to an exciting start with a 4-point bear hug en route to a 7-3 victory over a spunky Isami HORIKITA (JPN) in the opening match at 77kg. Makhmudov, a two-time Olympic medalist and two-time world champion aiming for his fourth career Asian gold, used a bear hug to power Horikita to the mat, then added a 2-point roll for 6-1 lead. In the second period, Makhmudov got the passivity point, but when he tried a gut wrench from par terre, Horikita stepped over for a 2-point exposure. But that was the end of the scoring and Makhmudov was safely through. 

11:15: The Asian Championships will get underway in Bishkek with Greco-Roman. Five weight classes with local hero Akzhol MAKHMUDOV (KGZ) in action as well.